Rowing machines were first used in Archaic Greece. Chabrias, an Athenian military general in 4th Century B.C., invented wooden rowing simulators for his inexperienced oarsmen. This enabled them to learn technique and timing before stepping foot on actual water crafts. And it must have worked — Chabrias successfully led numerous naval attacks against the Spartans.
A bumps race is a multi-day race beginning with crews lined up along the river at set intervals. They start simultaneously and all pursue the boat ahead while avoiding being bumped by a boat from behind. If a crew overtakes or makes physical contact with the crew ahead, a bump is awarded. As a result, damage to boats and equipment is common during bumps racing. To avoid damage the cox of the crew being bumped may concede the bump before contact is actually made. The next day, the bumping crew will start ahead of any crews that have been bumped. The positions at the end of the last race are used to set the positions on the first day of the races the next year. Oxford and Cambridge Universities hold bumps races for their respective colleges twice a year, and there are also Town Bumps races in both cities, open to non-university crews. Oxford's races are organised by City of Oxford Rowing Club[41] and Cambridge's are organised by the Cambridgeshire Rowing Association.
The Challenge AR features an advanced computer monitor providing the rower with measurable performance output, an ergonomically designed seat that rides on precision bearings and rollers for absolute smoothness, an upgraded footboard with advanced heel support, and an innovative soft grip handle to eliminate stress on the hands and wrist during the comfortable, but physical workout.

WaterRower Dimensions: 83'' x 22'' x 21'' / Weight: 108 Lbs (At Minimum Water Level)Built For Light Commercial Use & Practically M...aintenance Free, Rowing Machine Targets All Major Muscle Groups (84% Of Total Muscle Mass) W/ Excellent Adjustable Resistance LevelsMade W/ Kiln Dried Harwood; Danish Oil & Urethane Finish For Better Wood Performance/Strength & Cozy Feel To Your GymBoasts A Patented Water Flywheel That Mimics The Natural Dynamics Of Rowing Yet Suitable For Users W/ Joint Concerns (Chlorine Tablet Is Available Free Of Charge)Enjoy 1 Year Manufacturer's Warranty (Upgradeable To 3-Year Parts While 5-Year Frame Is Free Of Charge W/ Registration)Comes W/ The S4 Performance Monitor For QuickStart Of Functions And Displays Intensity, Kcalories Per Hour, Strokerate, Heartrate, And More!Storage Dimensions: 21'' x 22'' x 83'' (Easily Store It On End)Entry Height Is At 12'' (At 20'' W/ Optional Hi-Rise Adaptor)Noise/Intrusion Levels: Soothing & Relaxing/Minimal read more
Open water rowing is an ALL-BODY SPORT, toning your arms, legs, chest, back, and abs. Rowing is also recognized as a COMPLETE CARDIOVASCULAR WORKOUT which is highly aerobic and burns calories quickly. What most people don't realize is that rowing IMPROVES JOINT HEALTH through a wide range of motion. In addition, open water rowing RELIEVES STRESS and allows you the opportunity to remove yourself from the world around you, to connect to the calm and quiet of the water, and to meditate through the rhythmic, repetitive motion of your stroke.

The Concept2 Model D is the ultra-popular air rower that you’ll see at most gyms. It is one of the best home indoor rowers you can buy period. Expertly constructed and ergonomically unequaled, this rowing machine looks great and rows smoothly without so much as a jarring catch. As an air rower, the Concept2 employs air baffles to create the resistance. A nickel-plated chain pulls the flywheel and you get your workout by pulling against the increasingly higher air pressure that the fan is creating.

The frame is beyond durable and is designed for absorbing sound and vibration. There’s no creaking or other sounds that you might expect from wood components. It has a low center of gravity that keeps the rower in place while exerting full rowing power. The polycarbonate water tank is equally durable and practically indestructible. The Classic Rower doesn’t have any moving parts that can wear out, or belts and pulleys that need to be maintained.
Ergometer rowing machines (colloquially ergs or ergo) simulate the rowing action and provide a means of training on land when waterborne training is restricted, and of measuring rowing fitness. Ergometers do not simulate the lateral balance challenges, the exact resistance of water, or the exact motions of true rowing including the sweep of the oar handles. For that reason ergometer scores are generally not used as the sole selection criterion for crews (colloquially "ergs don't float"), and technique training is limited to the basic body position and movements. However, this action can still allow a comparable workout to those experienced on the water.

I kayak (ocean and flat water, not river), so I was drawn to the WaterRower over a flywheel type rower (which I have used in gyms) because I wanted to hear the sound of the water, which I miss hearing against the hull of the boat during the winter when I can't get out on the lake. I also like the way the paddles engage in the water; it's a very smooth pull and release, and moving the mass of the water instead of a dialed down tension feels more natural. As someone else also commented, the seat (at least on the wood version) is incredibly smooth and solid; no wobbling at all. I generally listen to music on my Nordic Track ski machine, but with the WaterRower I am content to listen to the sound of the water; working out on this is somehow both energizing and calmingly meditative at the same time. In the event that you want to use it while watching tv (this is one use to which I wanted to put it), it is quiet enough to hear the tv without having to turn it up.

Function plays a large role in defining good design. When designers look at an object, they don't just consider its aesthetic appearance; they should also challenge it to be more versatile, to respond to the user's need, or to achieve its purpose more elegantly. Good design has the capacity to solve problems that sometimes we didn't even know we had. This is one of the ways design touches and enriches our everyday life.
THL: Stay a safe distance from vertical surfaces if there are significant waves present in the area. A passing boat or ship may generate big waves that escape your attention until there is no time to escape. An example is the North anchorage of the Golden Gate Bridge (but there are special cases, e.g. rough water classes or the OWRC regatta, when there is a fast flood coming through the Golden Gate, and it is useful to be close to the wall since the current is slower there).
The benefit of a water resistance rower is that it most closely simulates a boat moving through water. Rowing resistance comes from the effect of fluid drag acting on the boat; in other words, resistance increases according to stroke rate. The patented WaterFlywheel emulates this naturally self-paced benefit of rowing. This is a workout with immediate benefits, regardless of your level of experience! Please also note that you can adjust the workout intensity by changing the amount of water in the tank. The more water, the higher the effort level required.

Infinitely Variable Resistance: The benefit of a water resistance rower is that it most closely simulates a boat moving through water. When rowing the resistance is due to the effect of fluid drag acting on the boat. Go faster, resistance increases. Go slower resistance decreases. Importantly, the user chooses; regardless of age, gender, size or fitness. The WaterRower M1 LoRise's patented WaterFlywheel emulates this naturally self-paced benefit of rowing. This is a workout you can start benefitting from immediately, regardless of experience!

Rowing machines offer a new type of workout experience for individuals of all fitness levels. If you’re tired of the standard equipment at the gym and simply looking for a machine that allows you to work out from the comfort of your home, then a rowing machine may be right up your alley. Commonly this machine is overlooked at the gym because people don’t know that rowing can work several major muscle groups, burning more calories than a stationary bike or treadmill. The innovative designs of new water resistance rowers have taken on an elegant, yet classic look that can add subtle beauty to any room. Usually outfitted in a walnut or ash frame with all-metal black rails and an easy fold-up design, row machines not only look great, they’re actually pretty fun to use.

Balanced Tear-drop Handle: The handle of the WaterRower M1 LoRise is made of aluminum for strength and lightness, with a tear-drop shape that fits comfortably into the palm of the hand to minimize wrist torque - a common cause of tendonitis. Because of its strength and lightness, the drive strap of the WaterRower M1 LoRise is high-density polyester webbing, guided by nylon pulleys. The drive strap does not wear and is maintenance-free, requiring no messy lubrication.
The first known "modern" rowing races began from competition among the professional watermen in the United Kingdom that provided ferry and taxi service on the River Thames in London. Prizes for wager races were often offered by the London Guilds and Livery Companies or wealthy owners of riverside houses.[10] The oldest surviving such race, Doggett's Coat and Badge was first contested in 1715 and is still held annually from London Bridge to Chelsea.[12] During the 19th century these races were to become numerous and popular, attracting large crowds. Prize matches amongst professionals similarly became popular on other rivers throughout Great Britain in the 19th century, notably on the Tyne. In America, the earliest known race dates back to 1756 in New York, when a pettiauger defeated a Cape Cod whaleboat in a race.[13]
The stake format was often used in early American races. Competitors line up at the start, race to a stake, moored boat, or buoy some distance away, and return. The 180° turn requires mastery of steering. These races are popular with spectators because one may watch both the start and finish. Usually only two boats would race at once to avoid collision. The Green Mountain Head Regatta continues to use the stake format but it is run as a head race with an interval start.[42] A similar type of racing is found in UK and Irish coastal rowing, where a number of boats race out to a given point from the coast and then return fighting rough water all the way. In Irish coastal rowing the boats are in individual lanes with the races consisting of up to 3 turns to make the race distance 2.3 km.
Floating Heel-Rest Design: The Rowing Machine's footboard incorporates the all-new Floating Heel-Rest design. The cup of the heel-rest follows the heel as it rises from the footboard providing stability and comfort from the beginning to end of each stroke. The heel-rest position is adjusted simply by pressing the central button to disengage the lock pins securing the footpads.
Although the oar can be conveniently thought of as a lever with a "fixed" pivot point in the water, the blade moves sideways and sternwards through the water, so that the magnitude of the propulsion force developed is the result of a complex interaction between unsteady fluid mechanics (the water flow around the blade) and solid mechanics and dynamics (the handle force applied to the oar, the oar's inertia and bending characteristic, the acceleration of the boat and so on).
WaterRower Dimensions: 83" x 22" x 21" / Weight: 108 Lbs (At Minimum Water Level)Built For Light Commercial Use & Practically Main...tenance Free, Rowing Machine Targets All Major Muscle Groups (84% Of Total Muscle Mass) W/ Excellent Adjustable Resistance LevelsMade W/ Kiln Dried Harwood; Danish Oil & Urethane Finish For Better Wood Performance/Strength & Cozy Feel To Your GymBoasts A Patented Water Flywheel That Mimics The Natural Dynamics Of Rowing Yet Suitable For Users W/ Joint Concerns (Chlorine Tablet Is Available Free Of Charge)Enjoy 1 Year Manufacturer's Warranty (Upgradeable To 3-Year Parts While 5-Year Frame Is Free Of Charge W/ Registration) read more

Of the four types of rowing machines or ergometers, water rowers are best at reproducing the sensation of on-water rowing. Their stroke cycles hold true to the dynamics of real paddling, and each stroke is punctuated with a splash! Water rowers have sliding seats to allow full-body cardiovascular workouts. (With cheaper rowing machines, in contrast, the seats don’t move.) These fitness machines tend to feature high quality parts and can last a lifetime.

One downside of the Waterrower for me are the footrests. Whilst they are perfectly adequate if you want to row in shoes, rowing barefoot, which is something I like to do, is impossible. The plastic is completely square at the bottom and has sharp edges that cut into your heels. I also found that my shoes get caught when trying to put them in and out of the holders, which is a bit irritating.
The proper ratio of effort is about 75 percent lower body and 25 percent upper body. Ensure you’re hitting that by driving through your legs and keeping your hands relaxed. Posture plays a big part, too. Concept 2 recommends imagining your upright profile at noon and tilting from the 11 o’clock position (drive) to the 1 o’clock position (recovery).
The OMNI T1X next-generation, cutting-edge, gold standard touring class open water and coastal rowing shell is available for purchase spring 2015! The new OMNI T1X is 19' long with significant design updates to row and track well on flat water as well as be the ultimate performance and safe rowing shell rowing through chop, wake and swells found on magnificent large bodies of water. We've modeled the OMNI T1X after the best features of U.S. manufactured open water shells and built-in the efficient, self-bailing open transom found in all European built Coastal Rowing Shells. The OMNI T1X is a versatile, adjustable shell accommodating both tall and short rowers of varying weights. You'll find the slightly uplifted bow shape slicing through chop with ease, the self-bailing open transom efficiently shedding water against the roughest conditions; the long, tapered built-in keel tracking well and the hull shape & stabiity necessary to catch, lock-on and drive past the competition in the roughest of open water stretches. Meeting the maximum length for Open Water Competition Touring Class shells at 19', the new OMNI T1X is light, stiff and ready to deliver optimal performance for our most competitive endurance rowers and a boat to last a life-time for recreation and fitness rowers.
Performance is meaningless if you can’t or don’t want to use the equipment, and that’s why the Wave Water rower was built for comfort and convenience. With a wide, molded seat to accommodate users of all sizes and a padded, textured rowing handle, you can build your strength and endurance in ease. When setting up the rower, the leveling endcaps with a dial ensure stability. After your workout, storing your Wave Water rower is easy – just fold the frame and roll the rower into a closet or corner.
By charter, the Schuylkill Navy’s object is "to secure united action among the several Clubs and to promote amateurism on the Schuylkill River."[23] Over the years, the group has had a role in certain ceremonial and state functions.[24] The success of the Schuylkill Navy and similar organizations contributed heavily to the extinction of professional rowing and the sport's current status as an amateur sport.[25]

WaterRower is made in the USA using hardwood from only replenishable sources. WaterRower strives to manufacture rowing machines that are of a stylish design and built to last, while maintaining our commitment to eco-friendliness. Our WaterRower Rowing Machines are functional fitness furniture, designed not to be hidden away like other unsightly gym equipment, but to look at home in your living room. Storing the waterrower in an upright position no wider than a dining room chair, our rowing machines can be easily laid out for a quick indoor rowing exercise session. Order your WaterRower from FitnessZone.com!

We're Marta and Brock, happily married new parents, and bring you a fun and simple approach to fitness, weight-loss, and nutrition through our knowledge, experiences and continued journey. Tune in for creative home and outdoor workouts, health and exercise tips, interviews, and organic gluten-free plant-based recipes (raw and/or cooked) for health and fitness newbies and enthusiasts! Occasionally you can win some cool stuff too :)